Kentucky Bills

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SB 207: AN ACT relating to duty-related disability benefits.

Amend KRS 61.621 to allow a member of a state-administered retirement system who works in a nonhazardous position that could be certified as a hazardous position and who receives a duty-related injury to be eligible for the same minimum retirement benefit provided to members who receive a hazardous disability retirement; amend KRS 61.702 to allow Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS) members working in a nonhazardous position that could be certified as a hazardous position who receive a duty-related injury to receive the same health benefit provided to members who receive a hazardous disability retirement; amend KRS 78.5536 to allow County Employees Retirement System (CERS) members working in a nonhazardous position that could be certified as a hazardous position who receive a duty-related injury to receive the same health benefit provided to members who receive a hazardous disability retirement; allow certain persons whose last day of paid employment was on or after January 1, 2022, but prior to the effective date of the Act to apply for benefits; RETROACTIVE.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SB 252: AN ACT relating to civil remedies and declaring an emergency.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 411 to define terms; establish a civil cause of action for damages arising from sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts; provide for the type of damages a plaintiff may recover and the causation requirements a plaintiff must establish in a civil action for damages arising from sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts; create a new section of KRS Chapter 413 to establish the statute of limitations and discovery requirements necessary for a civil cause of action for damages arising from sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts; amend KRS 413.140, relating to the statute of limitations for an action against a physician or hospital for negligence or malpractice, to conform; EMERGENCY.

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SB 244: AN ACT relating to transportation.

SB 244 amends Kentucky transportation statutes (KRS 186.230 and 186.120) to replace gendered pronouns like "his" and "he" with gender-neutral language. The bill updates procedural language in county clerk responsibilities and vehicle refund processes without changing any fees, deadlines, or operational requirements. It directly affects county clerks who enforce vehicle registration and tax collection under these statutes. The change ensures consistency with modern inclusive language standards in state law.

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 25, 2026

HB 665: AN ACT relating to captive cervids.

Create a new section of KRS 150.725 to 150.735 to grant the Department of Agriculture the sole authority to administer and enforce permitting, holding, and fencing requirements of captive cervids in the event of a natural disaster or declared emergency.

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SB 253: AN ACT relating to medicinal cannabis.

Amend KRS 218B.020 to make consultation with the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and the Kentucky Center for Cannabis optional for annual reports produced by the Office of Medical Cannabis; amend KRS 218B.065 to vest exclusive jurisdiction over final orders of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services relating to medicinal cannabis authorization with the Franklin Circuit Court upon request; amend KRS 218B.090 to vest exclusive jurisdiction for appeals of final orders of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services related to medicinal cannabis licenses with the Franklin Circuit Court; amend KRS 218B.095 to require medicinal cannabis business license holders to comply with filing and payment requirements by the Kentucky Department of Revenue and prohibit a medicinal cannabis business licensee from pledging or granting a security interest in the business; amend KRS 218B.140 to require the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to create an electronic monitoring system for monitoring medicinal cannabis business licensees and patients within the Commonwealth; require the electronic monitoring system to share specific information with the KASPER system in KRS Chapter 218A; amend KRS 218B.050, 218B.060, 218B.110, and KRS 216B.402 to conform; create new sections of KRS 218B to relocate existing data sharing provisions related to the medicinal cannabis electronic monitoring system from KRS Chapter 218A to KRS Chapter 218B and permit the Office of Medical Cannabis to investigate complaints of business improperly holding themselves out as a medicinal cannabis business licensee; amend KRS 218A.202 to remove requirements of a medicinal cannabis electronic monitoring database; require the KASPER system established in KRS Chapter 218A to communicate with the medicinal cannabis electronic monitoring database established in KRS Chapter 218B to identify certified medicinal cannabis patients.

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 25, 2026

HB 671: AN ACT relating to the protection of elected officials.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 16 to define "statewide-elected official"; require the Department of Kentucky State Police to investigate a credible threat to kill or seriously injure a statewide-elected official; require the department to make an assessment of the threat after conducting an investigation; require the department, after making a determination that a threat is a viable threat, to identify ways to mitigate or eliminate the threat.

in committee · Kentucky · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SB 247: AN ACT relating to agriculture.

SB 247 amends Kentucky's agricultural statute KRS 246.040 to replace gendered terms like "he or she" with gender-neutral language. The bill directly affects the description of the Commissioner of Agriculture's role in the state code. It makes no substantive policy changes but updates official references to be inclusive, changing phrases such as "keep his or her office" to neutral wording. This is a procedural language update with no impact on agricultural programs or regulations.

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 25, 2026

HB 670: AN ACT relating to the display of the Ten Commandments in schools.

Repeal and reenact KRS 158.178 to require that a public school or public charter school conspicuously display a copy of the Ten Commandments accompanied by text providing historical context in each elementary and secondary classroom; set requirements for the display; require private donations to be used to acquire copies; require the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate administrative regulations for enforcement; create a new section of KRS Chapter 164 to require that public postsecondary education institutions conspicuously display a copy of the Ten Commandments in each classroom; set requirements for the display; require private donations to be used to acquire copies; require the Council on Postsecondary Education to promulgate administrative regulations for enforcement; amend KRS 158.195 to allow teachers and administrators to read or post the Ten Commandments in a public school building, classroom, or event.

passed · Kentucky · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SR 57: A RESOLUTION honoring Father Patrick McDowell on the occasion of his ordination into the priesthood.

This resolution (SR 57) is a ceremonial honor for Father Patrick McDowell following his 2025 priesthood ordination. It commemorates his service, noting his childhood ties to Bardstown, Kentucky, his education at local schools, and his ordination at Louisville's Cathedral of the Assumption. The resolution has no policy impact or binding requirements; it simply expresses the Kentucky Senate's recognition of his ordination and upcoming role as associate pastor at St. James Catholic Church in Elizabethtown. As a procedural resolution, it does not affect any laws, regulations, or individuals beyond this symbolic gesture.

passed · Kentucky · Senate Feb 25, 2026

SR 60: A RESOLUTION honoring the YMCA on the organization's 175th anniversary in the United States.

This is a symbolic resolution (not a policy bill) passed by Kentucky's Senate to honor the YMCA's 175th anniversary in the U.S. It recognizes the YMCA's historical contributions, including founding Father's Day, pioneering childcare programs, and providing community services nationwide. The resolution specifically acknowledges the YMCA's work in Kentucky, where 17 YMCAs serve over 150,000 people annually with programs like childcare, swim lessons, and meal support. As a ceremonial gesture, it has no legal effect or direct impact on constituents or government operations.

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 24, 2026

HJR 71: A JOINT RESOLUTION designating the Private Andrew Kuracka Memorial Highway in Letcher County.

This resolution directs Kentucky's Transportation Cabinet to name a specific segment of Route 160 in Letcher County (from mile 19 to 20, near Premium) as the "Private Andrew Kuracka Memorial Highway" and install signage within 30 days. It honors Andrew Kuracka, a Letcher County native who served in the U.S. Army, worked as a truck driver for CF Trucking, and lived in the area before his death in 2022. The bill has no policy impact beyond the ceremonial naming and signage.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Kentucky · House Feb 24, 2026

HB 653: AN ACT relating to civil rights.

Repeal and reenact KRS 344.010 to define terms; amend KRS 344.020, relating to the purpose of the Kentucky's civil rights chapter, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 344.025, 344.040, 344.050, 344.060, 344.070, and 344.080, relating to prohibited discrimination in various labor and employment practices, to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 210.033, 344.030, 344.100 and 344.110 to conform; amend KRS 344.120 and 342.140, relating to prohibited discrimination in places of public accommodation and advertisements, to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 344.170, 344.180, 344.190, 344.300, and 344.310, relating to the state and local human rights commissions, to include the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in the scope of their powers and duties; amend KRS 344.360, 344.370, 344.380, and 344.680, relating to prohibited discrimination in certain housing, real estate, and other financial transactions, to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 344.367, relating to prohibited discrimination in certain insurance sales, to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 344.400, relating to prohibited discrimination in certain credit transactions, to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; amend KRS 18A.095 to conform; make technical corrections.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results